Waiting times to be cut as Ysbyty Glan Clwyd gets new operating theatres

Oct 22 2009 By Tom Bodden, Daily Post

Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Bodelwyddan

WAITING times for day surgery and diagnostics will be cut after an investment of £5.4m in three new operating theatres.

The money from the Welsh Assembly Government will help provide two laparoscopic theatres and a urology day care unit at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Bodelwyddan. 

 The extra theatre space will increase capacity by 20%, allowing more operations to be performed and substantially reducing the amount of time patients wait for surgery.

 All the theatres at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd are presently used to full capacity. The new ones are expected to be fully operational by the end of the year.

 The laparoscopic theatres will be purpose-built and state-of-the-art.

 Announcing the WAG cash support, health minister Edwina Hart said: “It is essential we have the necessary resources in place to ensure patients are seen and treated as quickly as possible.

 “By the end of the year, no patient in Wales will wait more than 26 weeks from their primary care referral to the start of their treatment.

 “These extra theatres at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd will play a major part in ensuring that this target is maintained in North Wales.”

 Michael Williams, chairman of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, said: “We are absolutely delighted that the minister, in these difficult economic times, has been able to approve the necessary funding to enable us to complete the work.

 “Both the day unit and theatres will be a great advance in terms of efficiency and effectiveness, and will enable our patients to be seen quicker.

 “The new facilities will be world-class, whilst providing comfort and dignity for our patients.”

 The new urology diagnostic unit opened at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd last month.

 As well as a seven-bedded ward, there is a suite for treatment of stones, clinic space, and ultrasound, flexible cystoscopy and biopsy facilities.

Mr V Srinivasan, consultant urological surgeon, said: “As well as providing a day case facility, this unit will go a long way towards patients having rapid access and diagnosis for suspected prostate, bladder, testis, kidney and penile cancers.”

Michelle Machin a kidney cancer patient from Rhyl who had all her tests under one roof in the new unit said: “I cannot thank the staff enough for the speed in which they diagnosed and dealt with my kidney cancer.”